A Family's Love ( A Lieutenant Duckling Story)
by ajb279
Summary: Emma and Killian meet on her fourteenth birthday and fall in love. But the road to a happy ending is never e next fourteen years will change two lives forever.
1. Chapter 1

Killian Jones stared at his brother in disbelief. "You never said I had to dress up, you just said dance." He gave the fancy suit with shiny silver waistcoat and white blouse with ruffled cuffs an equal look of disbelief. They were attending the Princess' Birthday Ball, it's not every day two ordinary Navy officers get invited to a royal ball but Liam had rescued the young prince when he fell from the docks into the water nearly drowning till Liam jumped in and saved him like the hero he was... After that the king and queen had insisted they attend the ball as thank you. Liam of course would attend in his dress uniform but Killian only 16 and not yet in the Navy, Would wear a suit.

Liam laughed, "Of course you have to dress up. You have to make an impression on the King and Queen. You'll embarrass the whole Navy if you dress like a slob and dance like a goon."

Killian scowled." I don't dance like a goon. "His scowl deepened and a hint of red blushed his cheeks and the tips of his ears while his older brother laughed at him. Killian streaked a hand through his long black hair that was tied at the nape of his neck with a brown strip of leather and cursed. "I thought he bloody Navy was about sailing not dancing." He scoffed. His black hair was thick and usually unruly even when tied back his blue eyes were the color of the sea that they sail upon day after day and the cause of many female broken hearts port after port. Their mother had told him as a lad that he had a face to make the Angels weep.

At seventeen Killian thought he knew it all had girls sighing over him everywhere they went Liam like to remind him that someday he would find his match a girl that was not fooled by his good looks and charm. And boy did he have the charm. Liam thought he must've inherited it from his father. He just hoped that Killian used it for far better reasons than their father.

"The Navy is about so much more than sailing, Brother. Sailing is just a part of it. We also serve and protect the royal family and," Liam drew the word out to assure that his brother listened to him. Well to assure you do not embarrass me or the Navy I am going to teach you to dance. Just pretend I'm a girl. Maybe the princess I hear she is a beauty. Long golden locks big green eyes tall for her age. Perhaps you can woo her with your charm and angelic looks."

"Bugger off." Killian punched Liam in the shoulder and Liam feigned injury laughing at his little brother before taking a dance position. Killian glanced all around to be sure no one was looking before hesitantly stepping closer to his brother he stood just close enough to Liam to touch his hand.

"The first rule of dancing is to pick a partner who knows what they are doing." Liam stated as he attempted to move around the deck with his baby brother.

Liam jerked him closer "You can't bloody well dance with a princess standing six feet away from her." He scolded the younger man. Killian was nearly five years his junior but it was enough of an age gap that made Liam protective of his brother especially since they were all each other had in this world. They shared a bond that never could be ignored. "One-Two-Three, One-Two-Three…" Liam counted off a beat and moved around the deck of the Jewel with Killian while absently humming a waltz. Half way through Killian had stopped stepping on his toes and was gracefully following Liam through the waltz. "Killy at this rate you would make a fine gentle lady. Take the lead let's see you become the man, Lead the princess or every other woman in the room across the floor in such a fluid movement that other men will be jealous and their wives envious, Brother."

Killian stumbled through taking the lead lacking confidence at first, but by the time they were done Killian had gracefully stepped up to take the lead.

"See not a goon insight, Liam." Killian stated boastfully about his dancing skills.

Liam grinned and clapped his brother's shoulder. "Aye, let's just get you dressed before you make any other comments about not being a goon."

"Oh Emma!" Snow White exclaimed tearing up slightly, "You look beautiful." She grasped both of Emma's hands urging her to turn. "You're so grown up, my baby is growing up." Snow brushed tears off her face. David, Emma's father walked over pulled the small woman in his arms and looked at his daughter with tears brimming in his own eyes.

"Emma, you are beautiful." He leaned forward and cupped the back of her neck kissing her forehead. Emma smiled and rolled her eyes at her sappy parents.

"You guys act like you're it's my wedding not my 14th birthday. Come on, please don't embarrass me." Her mother's tears dried up instantly.

"Embarrass you? The thought never crossed our mind." Snow winked at her husband and left Emma to roll her eyes again.

Emma turned to look at her reflection in the mirror while her parents and several other guests were announced. She would be last as her mother insisted she make an entrance. She brushed invisible lint from the front of her dress as an excuse to feel the soft fabric again. The green fabric sported a slight off the shoulder design and flowing sheer sleeves that featured a slit up the forearm the full skirt was made up of layers of sheer fabric over a green silk underskirt. The bodice had a gold lace design that sparkled in the candlelight of the room.

"Presenting Her Royal Highness Princess Emma of Misthaven" the caller announced. Emma gathered her skirts and rushed to the curtain as it was pulled back for her Entrance. She walked through to stand next to her father and looked out over the crowd that had gathered. In the very front were a Navy officer and a younger man appearing to be around 16. He was handsome standing at the base of the stairs.

The King and Queen made their departure down the stairs to the ballroom and Emma hastily followed gracefully descending the stairs then the young man looked up and Met her eyes Incredible blue eyes met Her green eyes and she tilted her back with a gasp. Everyone had bowed but him. He smirked at her. She watched him as he finally dropped to a mocking bow. She was watching him as she walked down the stairs and didn't realize that she had missed a step until she felt herself falling forward.

Killian looked up as the princess glided down the stairs and he felt her watching him he looked up and met her eyes she was beautiful and she was falling he instantly held out both arms catching her as fell right into his arms. She was a mall soft handful and his face turned bright read when he realized that his hand was cupping her small round breast and his other arm was slid intimately against her backside. He quickly set her on her feet and she stared at him in surprise for what seemed like a long time. Luckily everyone was still bowed and only she and he knew what had happened. She walked away as everyone stood she glanced back at him and smiled at how the tips of his ears had turned bright red. Not only was he gorgeous he was adorable as well.

Emma danced with suitor after suitor and while she dance with a young man from a neighboring kingdom, she glanced over the shoulder of the boy she couldn't remember his name Felix? No, Gregory. No Randolph, and found a pair of blue eyes watching her form across the room and she jerked her head away suddenly ramming the young suitor in the nose. Emma jerked away suddenly as he grabbed his nose and stared at her with disdain. "Randolph I'm so sorry."

"Albert." He said rubbing the bridge of his nose grateful it wasn't bleeding.

"What?" Emma asked.

"My name is Albert, not Randolph. I believe I will allow you a leave Your Highness. I would care for some punch."

"Oh… umm, here I'll help you." Emma reached out for his arm and he jerked it away with a curt no thank you. Emma sighed and looked up where her parents stood. Her father smiled clearly entertained and her mother did not look happy. Feeling the urge to flee Emma ran from the ballroom and to the garden where she dropped to a bench.

Killian watched the exchange and once her parents were otherwise distracted he slipped out the door to where the princess sat. Her head was bent and he shoulders were shaking Killian quietly cleared his throat and offered her his handkerchief. The princess lifted her head and looked at him. He felt a smile cross his lips when he noticed she was laughing not crying. "Quite the show, Your Highness," Killian stated softly.

"Oh dear, poor Albert, I can't believe that happened." Emma bit her lip to help contain the laughter. But it didn't work and soon she was laughing so hard she had to sit to keep from falling. Killian smiled and sat down beside her forgetting everything his brother had taught him that day about royalty and not being too familiar.

"You looked like you would rather be anywhere but dancing with the pimply faced kid."

"Ugh, I just hate all the formality of these things I love dancing but I hate being forced to dance with suitors. My parents insist I marry for love not to better our Kingdom. But I would rather just go run barefoot in a field of wildflowers or race my Horse, Buttercup far and wide and just be free."

Killian looked at her he was certain she shouldn't be sitting in the garden at night alone with a strange man she didn't know. But she was so engaging her blonde hair was all done up in a fancy braid that ran down her back with gold ribbons entwined into it and the shoulders were mostly bare. She was absolutely the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

"I'm Killian, Killian Jones. MY brother Liam and I were invited by your father."

"Yes I know," Emma laughed at his scowl. "I'm Emma."

"Yes, I know," he said causing her to bite her lip again a smile dimpling in her cheek.

"I recognized your brother before I fell at you. Sorry about that by the way."

He raised one eyebrow and tilted his head "Quite all right Luv, I've never had a woman throw herself at me before."

Emma cursed her fair skin as she felt heat creep up to blush her cheeks. "I'm sure" She said with a smile.

"Aren't princesses supposed to be graceful?"

"I'm no ordinary princess. Haven't you heard? I'm the savior. I'm supposed to save the world." She said it with a hint of sarcasm and Killian felt his lips twitch. He liked her.

"Could be worse," Killian d

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"I have to live up to my brother, He saved your youngest brother from drowning yesterday which is how I ended up in a suit and tie I would rather burn than wear, instead of sailing the sea like he said we would be two days ago."

"My family is very grateful to your brother for saving Leo. He's too wild He never should have been anywhere near the docks. But regardless I am glad your brother saved my brother. After all if he hadn't you never would be here at the ball and I would've fallen flat on my face. I would've been the laughing stock of the ball, my birthday ball."

"Happy Birthday Your Highness," Killian said standing to bow formally he blew it with the scowl Emma couldn't help but laugh. She stood and grabbed his hands.

"Dance with me." She demanded.

"As you wish, Your Highness." Killian pulled her into a waltz and just as he had earlier that day with Liam he led her around the garden in a graceful waltz. They danced to the music wafting out of the terrace doors of the castle. Killian held her hand in his and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. He stared into her eyes and she stared into his and they both forgot the garden bench they had been sitting on just fifteen minutes earlier.

They forgot about it until Emma tripped over it sending them both crashing to the grass. Emma sat in the grass and dropped her head back looking up at the stars. I love the stars it's like a whole different universe up there waiting for someone to discover it. My father gave me a book on constellations two years ago I've read it a hundred times and still I can't figure it out. "She said staring up at the stars. Her hair had come loose in few spots and Killian watched the wistful look on her face and the carefree joy on her face as she laughed. He had never been in love so he had nothing to compare it to but she was pretty sure he had fallen when she fell into his arms.

Emma felt him staring at her and turned her head to face him. She saw the look in his eyes, She was fourteen now. She knew what it meant when her heart beat quickened and she felt butterflies in her stomach. She leaned forward to him.

"Emma!" Her mother cried out. Surely she did not see her daughter sitting in the grass in a ball gown, (how does one even sit on the ground in a ball gown? She wondered) almost kissing the sixteen year old brother of the dashing Navy Lieutenant. Both children jumped apart as if they were shot. The young man surged to his feet immediately bowing. Emma slowly gained her feet and giggled.

Snow sighed, it could be worse. "Emma, I will see you and Mr. Jones inside within the next five minutes or I will send your father out here. " She turned and walked to the castle with a sinking feeling that this was not going to be the last time her daughter would get caught kissing a young man. She remembered a few certain young men in her past and a few other stolen kisses before her stepmother sent her out to be killed.

Emma turned to Killian. I have to go but I hope I'll see you again. "She rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek and as she was lowering back to her feet he caught her lips with his for a sweet kiss filled with innocence and first love.

"I leave tomorrow with Liam at dawn, I don't know when I'll be back but I'll never forget you."

Emma smiled at him and he smiled back they walked to the castle hands entwined and fingers laced together the strings of first love playing in their hearts.

The Jewel of the realm departed promptly at dawn the next day. Emma and the King were on deck to see them off. Killian approached Emma and the king and bowed. "Might I speak to the princess, Your Majesty?" David looked at the eagerness in his daughter's eyes and bit back a groan, but alas he consented who was he to stand in the way of first love?

Killian tucked Emma's hand into the crook of his arm as they strolled a few inches from her father and his brother, two overprotective guardians. He stopped at the bow of the boat and turned Emma toward him, "Emma, I have to go with Liam, but I'll return as soon as I can. I hope to see you when I return. Get to know you, so I may be allowed to court you. If you want me to that is…" Killian looked hopeful.

"Of course I want that, but I'll miss you." Emma looked at him under her lashes. "Can I write to you?"

"Aye lass, but how?" Killian asked. Emma smiled and pointed to a cloth covered cage.

"This is a messenger pigeon, my mother trains them. Send me a letter just tie it to the bird's leg. He will find me and I write back because he will find you."

"Thank you, Emma." Killian watched as a thin tear slid down her cheek. He wanted to kiss her and hold her and make her tears go away but he couldn't. It wasn't appropriate he was just a sailor not even a member of the Royal Navy yet. One more year and he would be. Then he would almost be worthy enough to court the princess.

He held her hands and looked into her eyes conveying a million words with one long look. Emma reached up her toes and placed a soft kiss on his lips then wrapped her arms around him in a hard hug. "Come back to me" she whispered in his ear.

David glared at the scene and cleared his throat loudly. Emma looking properly chastised returned to where he awaited. Her blue morning gown and Navy cloak kept the chill off her but nothing would take the look of love from her eyes. He groaned aloud this time. Fourteen, she was fourteen what did she know about love at fourteen? Looking at her tears falling down her cheeks and the torn look on the young man's face made him sigh. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her tight to his side. He placed a tender kiss on her temple. They watched the ship pull away from the docks and he thought though she may be growing up, she would always be his baby.


	2. Chapter 2

Three and a half years later Killian walked around the tiny village of Agrabah it was a short visit Liam was off hunting down the harbor master to get the supplies they needed and Killian decided to walk around the bazaar and pick up some new treasures. He fingered a bright green scarf it was silk and lovely and he was drawn to the bold color. The Merchant came to his side and haggled with him over the price of the scarf. Killian couldn't help it the color made him think of a pair of big green eyes in a round face surrounded by blonde hair. He bought the scarf and tucked it away inside his uniform he hadn't forgot Emma, his princess. Three years had gone by and he barely heard anything after about six months. One day he sent the pigeon out with a letter and the pigeon returned with his letter still attached unopened and unread Killian thought the bird was confused so he waited a few days and tried again. Ad again the bird came back with his letter. Killian had been heartbroken and moped around the jewel for months until Liam finally told him to get over quit moping do his job or walk the bloody plank.

A long blonde braid swung out the side of a hooded cloak and caught Killian's attention. He watched a slender hand drop gold coinage to the wrinkled hand of the old man holding a tiny elegant purple bottle. Killian shook his head at the thought of spending a single gold coin on a bottle of perfume. He turned around and plucked an apple from the pile in front of him handing over the appropriate coinage he watched the blonde woman walk carefully and slowly he tilted his head curiously as she looked right then left and right again before slipping into the alley. Her cloak was old and tor and had some stained mud on the hem. It didn't fit the style of a woman who drop several gold coins into the hands of a merchant for a tiny bottle of perfume. He bit into his apple telling himself it wasn't important. He glances around the bazaar to. See if anyone else had noticed the mysterious woman. The area was filled with shoppers. One man argued with a seller about the price of a basket. Another area held two women who were looking to sell more than fruit at their stand. Two children sat looking very hungry in the corner of the market one held out beautiful flowers telling passerby's that the flower was the sweetest in the land. Killian paid for a second apple and added a loaf of bread to his order he walked over hand the young girl a silver coin receiving a huge smile and a bright orange and red flower he handed the boy the apples and the bread before leaving them with a wink to follow the mysterious blonde shopper.

He followed her down an alley and into a darkened building. He caught up to her and touched her elbow causing her to stop and turn. When she turned they each stared at the person they never thought to see again.

"Killian…" Emma gasped bringing her hand to her mouth in surprise

"Aye, Emma it's me." Killian looked at her pain etched into his face. "What are you doing?"

Emma looked at him, "I can't tell you."

"What the bloody hell do you mean you can't tell me? Emma … What is going on?" He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear but she turned away from his touch it caused his heart to ache. "You can't tell me?"

She shook her head and walked away. He let her go.

Killian returned to the Jewel and stormed past his captain and brother Liam Jones he stormed right to his cabin and slammed the door. His brother didn't bother knocking when he came in the room.

"What the devil is wrong with you?" Liam asked.

"Emma is here." Killian answered curtly. Liam let out a low chuckle.

"I'm fully aware of that, little brother." Killian's head shot straight up and he glared at his brother. "As a matter of fact we have been summoned to the palace by King David and the Sultan. We are to arrive immediately and be prepared for to stay for an undetermined amount of time as we prepare for a top secret mission."

Killian hissed in disdain before speaking," Emma wouldn't bloody talk to me. I don't have any intention of being summoned by the king."

"Tough. You have no option as an officer of the royal Navy you will answer any and all summons when they arrive."

"Bloody Hell, I know, I know. When do we leave?"

"Now."

Liam and Killian sat at a long table next to a huntsman and a dwarf. The King sat across form them and Emma sat next to him at the head of the table sat an older man with dark skin and eyes and white hair and a white beard. At the opposite end of the table sat a lovely lady with long dark hair and dark skin and brown eyes she wore a dress made from deep purple and lots of heavy gold jewelry she had remained silent during dinner and after. It was Emma that broke the silence.

"Killian, would you please escort me on a walk?" She stood not waiting for him to answer knowing Liam would not let him refuse. She walked toward the large and guarded doors of the dining room. Once in the hallway she turned to him as they walked.

"What I am telling you cannot leave the space between us. It is imperative as few people know as possible I am only telling you because I lo- I know you will keep it a secret. "She looked at him and he nodded." My mother is ill. Regina cursed her before my father met her and she is now suffering from it. There is a special plant in a nearly impossible to reach realm that will cure her." Emma stopped walking and looked at him "We have a history you and I, I can't begin to tell you how I thought about you and missed you every day over the last three years, I stopped writing to you, when my mother became ill and I couldn't tell you how I had to take over the duties of the queen while keeping this secret. My father reached out to some foreign dignitaries and the sultan told us of a potion that will ease her pain and his advisor told us about the plant to cure my mother."

Three and a half years later Killian walked around the tiny village of Agra bah it was a short visit Liam was off hunting down the harbor master to get the supplies they needed and Killian decided to walk around the bazaar and pick up some new treasures. He fingered a bright green scarf it was silk and lovely and he was drawn to the bold color. The Merchant came to his side and haggled with him over the price of the scarf. Killian couldn't help it the color made him think of a pair of big green eyes in a round face surrounded by blonde hair. He bought the scarf and tucked it away inside his uniform he hadn't forgot Emma, his princess. Three years had gone by and he barely heard anything after about six months. One day he sent the pigeon out with a letter and the pigeon returned with his letter still attached unopened and unread Killian thought the bird was confused so he waited a few days and tried again. Ad again the bird came back with his letter. Killian had been heartbroken and moped around the jewel for months until Liam finally told him to get over quit moping do his job or walk the bloody plank.

A long blonde braid swung out the side of a hooded cloak and caught Killian's attention. He watched a slender hand drop gold coinage to the wrinkled hand of the old man holding a tiny elegant purple bottle. Killian shook his head at the thought of spending a single gold coin on a bottle of perfume. He turned around and plucked an apple from the pile in front of him handing over the appropriate coinage he watched the blonde woman walk carefully and slowly he tilted his head curiously as she looked right then left and right again before slipping into the alley. Her cloak was old and tor and had some stained mud on the hem. It didn't fit the style of a woman who drop several gold coins into the hands of a merchant for a tiny bottle of perfume. He bit into his apple telling himself it wasn't important. He glances around the bazaar to. See if anyone else had noticed the mysterious woman. The area was filled with shoppers. One man argued with a seller about the price of a basket. Another area held two women who were looking to sell more than fruit at their stand. Two children sat looking very hungry in the corner of the market one held out beautiful flowers telling passerby's that the flower was the sweetest in the land. Killian paid for a second apple and added a loaf of bread to his order he walked over hand the young girl a silver coin receiving a huge smile and a bright orange and red flower he handed the boy the apples and the bread before leaving them with a wink to follow the mysterious blonde shopper.

He followed her down an alley and into a darkened building. He caught up to her and touched her elbow causing her to stop and turn. When she turned they each stared at the person they never thought to see again.

"Killian…" Emma gasped bringing her hand to her mouth in surprise

"Aye, Emma it's me." Killian looked at her pain etched into his face. "What are you doing?"

Emma looked at him, "I can't tell you."

"What the bloody hell do you mean you can't tell me? Emma … What is going on?" He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear but she turned away from his touch it caused his heart to ache. "You can't tell me?"

She shook her head and walked away. He let her go.

Killian returned to the Jewel and stormed past his captain and brother Liam Jones he stormed right to his cabin and slammed the door. His brother didn't bother knocking when he came in the room.

"What the devil is wrong with you?" Liam asked.

"Emma is here." Killian answered curtly. Liam let out a low chuckle.

"I'm fully aware of that, little brother." Killian's head shot straight up and he glared at his brother. "As a matter of fact we have been summoned to the palace by King David and the Sultan. We are to arrive immediately and be prepared for to stay for an undetermined amount of time as we prepare for a top secret mission."

Killian hissed in disdain before speaking," Emma wouldn't bloody talk to me. I don't have any intention of being summoned by the king."

"Tough. You have no option as an officer of the royal Navy you will answer any and all summons when they arrive."

"Bloody Hell, I know, I know. When do we leave?"

"Now," Liam smiled gleefully at his brother. This would be a very entertaining time.

Liam and Killian sat at a long table next to a huntsman and a dwarf. The King sat across form them and Emma sat next to him at the head of the table sat an older man with dark skin and eyes and white hair and a white beard. At the opposite end of the table sat a lovely lady with long dark hair and dark skin and brown eyes she wore a dress made from deep purple and lots of heavy gold jewelry she had remained silent during dinner and after. It was Emma that broke the silence.

"Killian, would you please escort me on a walk?" She stood not waiting for him to answer knowing Liam would not let him refuse. She walked toward the large and guarded doors of the dining room. Once in the hallway she turned to him as they walked.

"What I am telling you cannot leave the space between us. It is imperative as few people know as possible I am only telling you because I lo- I know you will keep it a secret. "She looked at him and he nodded." My mother is ill. Regina cursed her before my father met her and she is now suffering from it. There is a special plant in a nearly impossible to reach realm that will cure her." Emma stopped walking and looked at him "We have a history you and I, I can't begin to tell you how I thought about you and missed you every day over the last three years, I stopped writing to you, when my mother became ill and I couldn't tell you how I had to take over the duties of the queen while keeping this secret. My father reached out to some foreign dignitaries and the sultan told us of a potion that will ease her pain and his advisor told us about the plant to cure my mother."

Killian studied her unsure of how to respond. "Emma is this why you stopped writing?" he asked. "Why you refused to see me when I was in Port last year?" He moved now reaching out to stroke her cheek with the pad of his thumb. She closed her eyes and involuntarily leaned into his touch.

"Killian, please, stop," she whispered. He ignored her plea and leaned down to brush her lips with his. Once, twice, and a third time, before he sunk into her delicious mouth. At fourteen they had shared a sweet innocent kiss but now she was seventeen and unaware of the effect she had on him.

"Just one, I've longed for your lips for an eternity." He murmured against her lips. He deepened the kiss and she moaned leaning against him. She broke free gasping for air. Her eyes were dark with arousal and she gripped his jacket then took a step back and looked up at him with a sad smile.

"I never meant to hurt you. I had so much to do as acting Queen and I wasn't permitted to even tell you. I wrote you a thousand letters but had to burn every one of them. I couldn't take the chance of anyone knowing my mother was sick. We didn't even tell the castle staff. We said she was preparing me for my time as Queen when I marry and that my mother wanted to spend time with the younger kids. Two years ago after my sister was born and ever since then my mother became weaker and weaker. Killian you can't tell anyone If Regina finds out she will kill my mother."

Killian pulled into his arms and hugged her "I'm sorry you have to go through this alone, Luv." She closed her eyes and relaxed for a moment then she pulled back and brought his hand to her lips and led him down the hall to an empty room. These are the guest quarters the Sultan had prepared for you and your brother; you may stay here tonight as I'm sure you may already know you leave tomorrow morning. "Emma leaned up against the door frame. " I never forgot you; I fell in love with you that night. I don't think I ever stopped loving you," Emma stretched up on her toes to kiss him. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pushed him into the room kicking the door shut behind them. Killian's head spun he protested "Emma, are you sure, Luv?" She whispered back to him.

"I've never been surer." Killian lifted her with a hand under her bottom to bring them closer and murmured against her lips I

"I love you too, Emma."

The next morning before the sun came up Emma kissed a sleeping Killian on the lips. She rolled onto her stomach and folded her arms on his chest and laid her head down watching the shadows play across his face. She was certain a more beautiful man did not exist. She planted a kiss on his heart then gently slipped out of his bed. She padded down the hall to her own room and prepared for her day she chose a ruby colored gown and grey cloak to go watch the Jewel leave.

On the docks Liam prepared the ship before offering his assurances to the king they would bring home the cure for the queen. Killian and Emma stood in the shadows behind a stack of large crates.

"I don't want you to leave." Emma snuggled into his chest she had a dread deep in her chest that this mission was far too dangerous for such a small thing as a plant but at the same time she knew the plant was her mother's only way of survival.

"Nor do I my love." Killian pulled back and removed a small opal ring form under his uniform top. "This was my mother's ring. She gave it to me before she died. Will you wear it and be my love always?" Emma nodded through tears and jumped up to kiss him again knocking him back a step and sending his hat askew.

They kissed until Liam came over and cleared his throat. Emma grabbed Liam in a tight hug knocking him back in surprise. She whispered in his ear, "Bring him back to me." Liam dumbfounded but a romantic at heart patted her on the back.

"He's my baby brother; I'll take good care of him." He nodded to her father standing on the docks talking to Killian, "Your father is a good man. Take care of him too He needs you, your highness."

Emma smiled and watched as Killian came back over to her. "Your father said to return safely and he would consider giving your hand to me in marriage."

"Well then you had better get home safe. She leaned in to hug and kiss him once more. Then stood by her father and watched the boys return to the sea. A sense of Deja Vu overwhelming her along with the dread in the pit of her stomach she couldn't shake.

"I'm in love with him Daddy." Emma turned her head to her father's shoulders.

"I know, Princess, I know, you always were."

Killian and Liam departed the Jewel advising the rest of the crew to stay on board for their own safety. Liam looked at Killian and they nodded together they walked across the sandy shore and headed to the large cliff that awaited them.

After a long and arduous trek across the jungle and up the cliff, Killian rested against the rock. His uniform coat abandoned on the beach and blouse unbuttoned and hanging from his waist.

"Brother, How much further?" he panted. Liam rested against another rock he too was stripped to the waist to fight the sweltering jungle heat.

He pulled out a map and a compass and studied both before pointing straight ahead to a small rock formation "Just over that ridge there." Together they walked to the cliff and they could see a bush of the plant called dream shade. Carefully the brothers cut several pieces and filled their satchels with the bush cuttings. They started back over the hill and Liam cried out in pain. Killian rushed to him and noticed a large red gash on his arm dripping blood. He quickly ripped off a sleeve of his uniform top and bound Liam's arm in it.

"Can you make it the rest of the way to the ship?" Killian asked concerned. Liam merely nodded. As they approached the ship Liam was leaning heavily against Killian's side, Killian pulled back the makeshift bandage and swore under his breath. Liam's whole arm was black and had what looked like ink stains running up his arm, He was panting and sweating profusely, Killian half carried, half dragged Liam back to the ship once on deck he ordered a deck hand to fetch him some water. The hand brought a canteen filled with cool water fresh from the lake upon which they docked. Liam instantly appeared better. He had stopped sweating and could stand on his own the blackness of his arm was gone. He immediately ordered they depart on their voyage and retreated to his cabin to change his clothes. The crew looked at Killian who assured them the captain was fine and ordered them to follow their captain's orders.

As the ship pulled anchor and prepared for their voyage Killian went in search of Liam. He found him buttoning his jacket over a fresh shirt, "are you sure you are alight Liam? I had to all but carry you off the bloody island."

Liam caught Killian in a back slapping hug. "I am more than fine, Little Brother. We got the cure for the queen and we will be back to the Enchanted forest and you to your princess soon enough. We just survived a very important mission." They jolted when they felt the ship take off and enter a portal. Killian grinned at Liam who looked at him and grinned back as soon as they exited the portal Liam clutched his arm in pain. Killian rushed to him catching him in his arms. He pulled the jacket form Liam's body and tore the sleeve of his shirt to expose Liam's arm the black inly marks were running up his arm and up to his neck, Killian ripped the shirt open and stared at the black running over Liam's now exposed chest.

Liam reached up and grasped Killian's chin in his hand and whispered, "Love you brother," before closing his eyes and letting his head droop onto Killian's arm. Killian cried for help and when the door to the cabin swung open it was too late the Captain was already dead. Killian cried in anguish, Liam was all he had left in the world. And now he was gone.

The wrapped Liam's body in sails from the ship and tied it tight then pushed his body overboard and Killian thought that now all he had left in the world was Emma. Emma who was the daughter of the king, the king who sent him and his brother on a mission of life or death for a cure for the queen, a cure that killed his brother and was intended to kill the whole crew no doubt. A vengeful king sent us on a death mission.  
"The King sent us on a mission to find a cure, a cure that killed my brother and our captain. The king sent us here to die!" The crew had gathered to watch him. "I for one will no longer serve a murderous king. Are you with me?" The crew agreed with him and they tore the kingdom flag from the ship and burned it. They threw navy uniforms into the sea and Killian declared himself the new captain and the crew agreed chanting Captain Jones.

Several weeks later Killian and the crew of the newly christened Jolly Roger took port in a small town near the castle but far enough away that they would not be seen. As his men headed to the brothel and the tavern Killian set out on horseback to deliver the "cure" to the king.

Emma was in the garden reading to her mother when news reached her that the Jones brothers had returned. Leaving her mother in the care of her nurse Emma rushed to greet Killian. She flung herself at him and he caught her but instead of hugging her or spinning her as she imagined he merely set her aside and strode right to the king.

"Lieutenant Jones I am glad to see you. Was your mission successful?" David asked hopefully, He studied the younger man. It was then he noticed the instead of hi Navy uniform he wore black. Black leather pants and a black shirt with a red waistcoat, and he was alone. "Where is your captain?"

"My captain, my brother is dead. He was cut by the plant you sent us after and it killed him when we left the bloody island your majesty." Killian's pain was evident on his face and Emma clung to his side in support and whispered hi name.

"You killed my brother!" Killian raged at the shocked king in front of him. "You killed Liam to save our wife. My brother is gone so that your wife may live." He thrust the satchels at him and the canteen of water. David reached out in shock and took them,

"Killian I had no idea…."

"Lair!" Killian closed his eyes and regained some composure then stated, "I will not serve a murderous king. With that he looked down at Emma. Then he looked away.

Emma stared at him in disbelief, "Killian, let's go sit down and talk. There's something we need to discuss." He glanced at her then and the ring on her finger, his mother's ring looked back at him. The ring Liam gave him to give to Emma. "We have nothing to discuss." He shook her off and turned to leave. Emma felt tears threaten but instead she pushed them away with anger.

"I am carrying your child Killian Jones." She shouted. Her father sucked in a breath preparing to say something but one look from his daughter stopped him. Killian looked at her glanced to wear her hand rested on her stomach. She moved forward and pulled his hand down to her stomach he looked up at her through tears, "I can't be a father, "and walked out of the castle and out of Emma's life.


	3. Chapter 3

**11 years later **

Killian docked the Jolly Roger in the port of Westbrooke. He paid the dock merchant to keep his ship safe and sent his crew off shaking his head as many of them went in the direction of the local tavern looking for a warm body to share a meal and possibly a bed with. Killian only wanted a hot meal. He ate his meal in silence then took up a room in the upper level of the small tavern taking a bottle of rum with him. It had been nearly thirteen year since he was this close to Misthaven he didn't know what had brought them here but he was going to stay hidden while docking her not an easy feet when you have the most notorious pirate ship in the kingdom but he hoped he could stay away under the notice of the royal family. Word had reached him that the queen survived and the princess had not given birth to a live baby. His child had died before birth. He had not heard anything else for 13 years he sailed away in his grief and had not returned to the land

He pulled off his boots and padded barefoot to the bed removing his jacket and his vest and reached for the lacing on his pants. And someone knocked on his door. Cursing he strode to the door yanking it open he looked straight ahead expecting to see the intruder but he instead had to look lower at a young girl around twelve years of age she had pale blonde hair dressed in an expensive cloak, black leather breaches and a violet colored tunic and brown leather boots. It was her eyes that spoke to Killian they were green very green and familiar looking but he couldn't quite place it. The girl looked up at him.

"Are you Killian Jones?"

"Aye and who might you be?"

"My name is Arabella, but I go by Aria. And I'm your daughter." She ducked under his arm and strode right into his room. She sat on the corner of his bed bouncing then getting up and crossing to the mirror looking at her reflection he stood behind her.

"I don't have a daughter."

"Hate to tell you this, but ya kinda do. "

"I kinda do not. Look you seem like a nice girl but I don't have a daughter I don't have any kids."

Aria met Killian's reflection in the mirror and raised her eyebrows at him and suddenly he was shot a memory of Emma with the same expression. He stumbled back against the wall.

"It's not possible. I was told you didn't survive."

'Well obviously I did."

"Why are you here? How are you here?"

"I'm here to bring you to my mother."

Killian shook his head in disbelief. "Emma does not want to see me. I left her. After … well after."

"After you left her with child and accused her father of murdering your brother, my uncle?"

"Um … She told you about that?" Killian looked in to eyes that reminded him so much of Emma.

"Look I barely knew your mother we had a short-lived romance. Your mother told me about you the day I returned. I was mourning the greatest man I ever knew, Liam. I was in shock over his death and the obvious betrayal from the king. I left Emma; I did what I had to do. She hates me. She sent me a letter that said you did not survive. She lied to me just like her father."

Aria stepped closer to Killian. "My mother is not a lair. My grandfather is not a murderer."

Killian bent down and put his face close to Aria's and smiled a mean thin smile. "Did your mama tell you that too?"

"No actually, my mama is under a sleeping curse been that way since the day I was born. I have never heard my mother's voice; I have never had my mother's arms wrapped around me when I was scared." Aria cursed under her breath at the tears that fell down her cheeks, she had her father's pride." I have never heard my mother say I love you."

"A sleeping curse?" Killian whispered. "Regina?"

"I don't know." Aria raised wet green eyes to Killian's shocked blue ones and leaned against the wall and sank to the floor. "You're my daughter and you think I can break this curse?"

"Yes."

Killian let out a shaky laugh, closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall three times. Hoping to knock the pieces inside around enough to make it all go away to wake himself up from the dream. He opened his eyes to see the girl still staring at him curiously. He cursed.

"Are you helping me or not?" She demanded.

"I think not, I think you are crazy and your family must be very concerned about you."

"You are my family…." Tears shined in Aria's eyes. She stared at Killian with as much hope and

"No, Lass I'm not."

Aria wiped a tear away and he noticed a ring on her left middle finger. It was the ring he gave Emma but that didn't mean everything she said was true. It couldn't be true

Killian gently shoved her on her way determined that she would see her way home. It was all a dream anyway. But as he lay in bed the big green eyes with a tiny speck of blue and the pale blonde hair that looked so much Emma's ran through his mind. His mind immediately jumped to Emma and the day he gave her that ring. it had been a promise. A promise based on a lie. He hadn't come back to her instead a broken man full of grief had returned and he shoved her away, pushed away his chance at a family. Funny thing was he had just been thinking of Emma when this child showed up at his door and he turned her away. He turned her away in the night in a tavern, full of drunk pirates… what the hell was he thinking? Killian jumped out of bed grabbed a shirt and his jacket then wrenched open the door and tripped over the small girl sprawled in front of his door. He shook his head; relief filled every corner of his body in what he didn't understand as his first parental motion.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

"Mmhmm," She nodded and he led her back into his room and tucked her into his bed and pulled up a chair to sit beside the bed and watched her sleep. She opened one eye and raised an eyebrow at him "Are you going to sit there and watch me sleep all night?"

He smiled. "Possibly,"

She attempted to scowl at him and it turned into a smile. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Princess," he leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees and watched the steady rise and fall of her chest as she fell asleep. He was father, how on earth did that happen?


	4. Chapter 4

Killian woke realizing he had slept in the chair all night, watching the girl - his daughter sleep. He had a daughter. He had a daughter with Emma. Emma is in a sleeping curse and their daughter thinks he can rescue her. Once upon a time ago he would have done anything for Emma. But her father had killed Liam. He couldn't help but think what his life would have been like if he had never met Emma.

"I can hear you thinking." Aria announced from the bed. She sat up and looked at him her green eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You're not thinking about backing out are you?" she accused.

"No, I am not backing out. Although I don't think you understand what you are asking, I am not your mother's true love. I am no one's true love. "Killian glanced down to hide the pain in his eyes." I made a lot of choices that brought me to where I am today some good some bad do I regret it yes? Can I fix it? I don't know."

"Do you want to fix it? Do you still love my mother?" Aria asked peering into his blue eyes.

"More than my own life, I have loved her from the minute I saw her and I will love her till my dying breath or beyond, But I don't know if I can ever make things right. I know you don't want to think it's true but your grandfather set my brother and me up to die. And that cannot be forgiven."

"My grandfather did no such thing did you ever ask him?" Aria asked eyes blazing with anger.

"No. I did not. I knew." Killian answered. He turned away and started to walk to the door assuming she would follow. When he opened the door he looked back at her. She was kneeling in the middle of the bed tears running down her normally strong face her eyes held a bitter retreat. Killian was taken back by the look of defeat on her face.

"Arabella…." Killian began and slowly walked towards the young girl.

Aria snapped her face up to his and gone was the bitter hopelessness form a few minutes ago it was now replaced with raw unadulterated anger directed right to him. "My name is Aria! The only person who has ever called me Arabella is in a sleeping curse that you are too ignorant to break. I'm leaving. "She stormed past him in such a blue that he wasn't sure what had happened. He sighed and followed her.

"Aria, I'm sorry. I am not letting you leave by yourself. There are bad people out there that you wouldn't be safe at least let me get you back to Mist Haven. I can offer you passage on the Jolly Roger."

"NO." Aria crossed her arms against her chest and pouted like the child she was. Killian sighed and did the only thing he could think of. He scooped her up over his shoulder and carried her kicking and screaming to the docks. He nodded a greeting to any curious onlookers.

Aria had never been so embarrassed in her life. He father had just thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He carried her to the docks. He set her feet and she stared at him in shock for five seconds before choosing the one thing she knew to do, she stomped on his instep and ran. He father was fast she didn't expect him to be able to move that swiftly in all the leather. He caught her and plucked her up off her feet again and strolled on deck and straight to his cabin and dropped her then turned and left locking the door behind him. Aria swore and pounded on the door until she ran out of energy. She strolled to the bed and stretched out. Instantly she fell asleep.

When she woke it was to find a small tray of food sitting beside the bed and a note that read "Come up on deck when you awake. –Killian." Aria plucked an apple from the tray and bit into it while exploring the cabin. It was the bookshelf that caught her attention she rushed to it and ran her fingers over every spine smiling. Her father was a bookworm like her. It made her want to ask him about every book. Removing one at random she opened it inside the front cover was an inscription "To Killian, may we forever travel the high seas. Love always, Liam."

"Uncle Liam," She whispered. "Grandfather talked so much about you. He didn't do what my father accused of him. I will find a way to get your brother to see the truth. I promise." She shut the book and placed it back on the shelf and chose a second one it look like it was in Greek. She wondered if her father knew Greek, and if he would teach her.

Aria set the apple core back on the tray and made a sandwich from the meat cheese and bread that also set on the tray and tucking the book under her arm she headed upstairs to battle her father.

Killian watched her walk on deck and nodded when she started to walk to him she stumbled a bit but not obviously. He bolstered commands at his crew as they watched her walk across the deck to the wheel.

"Hello Lass. I see you found the food I set out for you."

"Thank you. Do you speak Greek?" she asked curiously setting the book by the ships wheel.

"Aye and several other useful and not so useful languages it was just one of the many things I learned while in the king's navy."

"Will you teach me?" She showed him the book under her arm.

"Aye, if you wish. That is not Greek however." He pointed to the book." It is codes that Liam wrote. I have been trying to decipher it since his death."

"Neat." She glanced at the book in her hands in awe. She glanced out the horizon before them, "Are you taking me home?" she asked.

He just nodded his jaw was set in a lock position and it didn't appear to be comfortable. She sighed and sat at his feet and opened the book. She studied it for a long time before retreating wordlessly to the captain's cabin rifling through the desk she pulled out a pen and a piece of parchment, she began to decipher the words in the book. She was bent over the parchment and the book when Killian strolled into the cabin hours later he took one look at her and felt a twinge of something he didn't know how to name. He lit a lantern and walked to where she sat and placed it in front of her. She then looked up at him and her eyes were so much like Emma's he got lost for a moment. When he shook out of it he looked at her and she was string at him.

"I can't help but see your mother when I look at you." He spoke quietly.

"Funny my grandmother said more than once that she saw Jones in me at every half step."

"Aye you have my spunk. Your mother's eyes the shape of your face is like my mother's and your nose is Liam and if I'm not mistaken your hair holds a bit of curl to it that would be from my brother also. I see a great deal of King David and Queen Snow in you too, you were raised very well and I see the obvious love you have for them." She smiled her eyes glassy from the thought of looking like her family.

"Grandfather told me Uncle Liam was an honorable man and the best soldier he ever met. He didn't have any portraits of him or you for that matter. What did he look like? Do you have any portraits of my Grandmother?" Killian shook his head but reached for her pen and parchment and as he started to draw a quick sketch of his brother. The words on the paper caught his attention. "Did you decipher that code language?" he asked in shock and awe.

"Not very much of it, deciphering is pretty easy once you figure it all out one of my Grandfathers guards taught me his name was Graham. He told me to look me for easy words like "the" or "and" and then you can guess the letter and then other words and the more words you can decipher the more of the alphabet you can learn then you can learn all the words."

"That's incredible. Deciphering is a fine talent for a naval officer but I'm sure your grandmother wasn't overly fond of it." He began sketching on the back side of her paper, first he drew Liam then his mother and then he drew Emma as he remembered her.

"My grandmother said I was more like my mother than she thought. I would rather be tromping through the woods on a horse than dancing at a ball with a prince." Her words caused an unexplained shiver at the thought of his daughter and some handsy prince dancing at a ball then he remembered Emma when he met her and the prince she trampled all over.

"Aye, I can understand why she said that." A half smile appeared on his face as he thought about the first time he had been dragged to the palace. "I met Emma when she was merely fourteen. She fell for me immediately, "he joked. A wide honest grin crossed his lips as he replayed the memory of Emma tripping and falling into his arms. "I fell in love with her the night of her fourteenth birthday. I had just met her but felt like I knew her my whole life. I didn't want to be at the miserable stuffy ball but your uncle Liam made me attend and not only did I have to go I had to wear a suit. I was only sixteen I wasn't officially a member of the royal navy but I was allowed to be on deck with Liam as a squire. I did all the dirty work mopping the decks peeling potatoes scrubbing the captain's shoes. It wasn't a bad life they treated me fairly and taught me to sword fight and how to sail I was the youngest guy to reach lieutenant since the captain himself. I was bound for Captain. Then it all went to hell."

"Aria had tears falling down her face as she picked up the parchment and stared at the face in the sketches. She looked up at the sound of the door slamming her father had just stormed out of the cabin. She sighed it was like baby steps take a step and fall on your arse. Get up and try it again only to do the same damn thing. She pulled out the pocket watch she carried with her and stared at the faces of her grandparents and her at age five. She missed them terribly but she had to get through to her father. Somehow.

Killian sat in the crow's nest he would never admit to anyone that he was hiding. He was simply in the one place that he could get a bit of peace and quiet. He sat knees to his chest and thought. He thought about his brother Liam Oh he'd be rolling on the floor at the thought of Killian being a father not that he think Killian would make a bad father just the whole idea of Killian falling in love with the princess had made Liam grin like an idiot. The fact that he had a child with her would make him laugh like a loon. He watched as a blue bird landed on the crow's nest and stared at him at first Killian tried to blow it off then he noticed in the far, far distance the telltale sign of the castle and the bright green forests surrounding it they should be docking by the next morning then he would drop the girl off and go. Something caught his eye. A tiny scroll tied to the bird's foot. He untied it and unrolled it reading the words.

"Is she with you?" Was all it said Killian pulled a charcoal out of his pocket and wrote under the single question, "Yes." Then he rolled up the note and retied it to the bird's leg and sent him home.

Aria climbed into the crow's nest and sat next to him mirroring his position. She said nothing just laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. Killian eventually broke the silence.

"We will dock at Mist Haven in the morning." Aria raised her head and looked at him."

"Will you tell me more about my mother?"

"She was the most beautiful girl I ever saw. She was barely seventeen when you were conceived." Killian he thought for a moment then continued. "We wrote back and forth forever and then one day she just stopped."

"My grandmother took ill and she had to help raise my aunts and my uncle." Aria sighed. "My youngest aunt is only three years older than me."

"Aye, the curse," Killian said.

"Not really a curse. It was more, poisoning I guess. It was caused by the curse but not part of the curse, an unexpected pleasure for Regina. Since it wasn't part of the curse it couldn't be cured by true love's kiss. The plant you brought back from Neverland didn't cure it either. My mother made a deal with the dark one. She gave up all her magic to help my grandmother. Then Regina found out that my mother was with child and she tried to kill me before I was born but one of the guards Dopey He is one of my grandmother's dwarf friends, he stepped in and it caused him to become a tree. My mother sat under that tree every day while he was pregnant with me and tried to find a way to fix it. The day I was born Regina showed up? She nearly killed my mother while she was in labor. My grandfather's guard Graham stepped in and tried to save her but Regina scooped us up in a purple haze and my grandmother said that they sent out a search party and then we just popped back up and I was born and crying and my mother was in a sleeping curse. "

"Quite peculiar indeed and no one contacted me or anyone for years has anyone tried to break the curse?"

"Yes Princes came from different lands to attempt it but no one has been able to, my grandparents never lied to me about you." Aria looked over at him," Grandmother told me that you were a brave soldier that fought in the King's navy and fell in love with my mother , They approved of you very much by the way. My grandfather didn't but he said he wouldn't approve of anyone for his little girl just like he would never approve of anyone for me. Grandmother said you were a very handsome man who wore his heart on his sleeve for everyone to see. They weren't thrilled that the princess my mother had a baby but they also said they wouldn't trade me for any amount of jewels in the world." Aria studied hi profile then turned back to the horizon." My mother still loved you, you know."

"How do you know that if you've never met her?"

"She kept your ring. Never took it off. She understood what happened to Liam hurt you she just held out hope that you would return to her."

"Maybe, But it's inexcusable what your grandfather did to my brother."

"And maybe he didn't do it, maybe there is another explanation." Aria Insisted.

"Maybe, but I'm not holding my breath." Killian stood and climbed down the ladder leaving Aria in the nest alone.

"Uuuugggghhhh, "She fell over backwards rolling her eyes. Her father was as stubborn and pigheaded as her grandmother claimed her grandfather had been when they met.

Morning fell on the sea as the Jolly quietly cut through the waves to dock In Mist Haven. Killian took a deep breath remembering the last time he had been there. He looked back to find Arai not where he had expected her he rolled his eyes and marched to the Captain's cabin where Aria had taken residence during their journey. He knocked on the door and when it opened he was stunned.

Aria stood before him her blonde hair hung down past her waist and was caught back at the sides by two combs. She wore a long blue gown made of sapphire colored silk and poofed out like girl's dresses do. She glanced up at him and smiled and he was thrown back in time to Emma at her birthday. "Aria, lass," He whispered. "You look beautiful, just like your mother." He bent forward and pulled her to his chest in the first open display of affection he had shown her he pulled back and cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead. When he pulled back they were both crying. Aria wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. "I love you, Papa"

Killian laughed shakily "Aye, love you too." He smiled at her. He had a daughter.


	5. Chapter 5

As Killian and Aria approached the palace Killian suddenly turned away. Aria spun around after him catching him by the hand and pulling him forward. "No, no, no, no…" She said to him.

He looked at her all the hurt and pain from the day he arrived after Liam's death shinning in his eyes. It was too much He couldn't go back in there. "It's not true love. It can't be. I can't go in there." He spoke to the girl.

Aria took his hands in hers and looked at him straight in the eye and said "Papa. You have to. You have to save my mother. You are the only who can do it."

He wanted to help her, his daughter. He wanted to be the hero she so desperately thought he could be. The truth was he didn't know if he was Emma's true love or not. It was such a short romance followed by him leaving her. He walked out and turned his back on the woman he loved and the child she announced they would have together. He didn't think he could be a father. He never thought he could love a child but he did. He loved his daughter his Aria. She was a brimming spitfire of twelve, who also looked like a miniature version of her mother. He looked down at Aria and again her steady green eyes were pushing him on. He bowed his head then looked up at her and nodded.

Her smile told him everything would be okay. He wasn't sure about that.

Aria walked into her grandparents private study where she knew her grandfather would be. Killian had decided to wait in the hall. She opened the door and saw the king sitting at his desk and she cleared her throat. David looked up and the relief, Joy and love he felt for he is granddaughter was absolutely evident on his face.

"Aria, I'm glad you're safe. I'm glad you're home don't ever leave us like that again."

"I found my father. I found him, he's here. I brought him, to wake up Mama." Aria grabbed David's hand and pulled him toward the heavy ornate doors that separated his private area to the public.

"Aria, sweetie, You know your Grandmother and I want nothing more than for your mother to wake up but I don't think this pirate is your mother's true love I told you that ."

"Grandmother agrees with me. My mother was still wearing his ring. He's my father. He loves me. He still loves her. You'll see." Aria was sobbing with him now openly pleading for him to believe her and he wanted to, God how he wanted to trust that she was right that this sailor was his daughter's true love. He wanted to believe it for himself and for her but he didn't have the type of belief she did, she was special. She was the believer.

David followed Aria to the grand hall where Killian stood. He was staring at the doors to the ballroom with an expression David recognized. Maybe he did still love Emma. That did not mean he could break the curse. He knew Killian was a good man when Emma fell in love with him he couldn't have hand picked a finer mate for her. Killian Jones had brought himself out of the ashes of his former life like a phoenix. And then the death of his brother brought it all back down again. David cleared his throat and Killian jumped.

Killian turned to see the king. He may think the king murderous and know that he was the grandfather of his daughter but he was still deep down a sailor that lived by a code. He bowed.

Aria stepped closer and took Killian's hand in hers and glared at David. "He needs to see Mama so he can wake her up." She stuck her quivering chin out in defiance and maybe a little defiance. She was after all a pirate captain's daughter…

David looked at her as much as he hated to ever tell her no. He was going to have to put the reunion on hold until he could talk with Killian. "Aria, Your grandmother is going to be waiting to talk to you, she's in her study." Aria looked at David then up at Killian and with his nod of insistence she left. David invited Killian into his study and poured two snifters full of Rum.

"I think you already know you and I have to talk before you get anywhere near my daughter." David spoke at last.

"Aye, Figured as much."

David ran a hand over his face and sighed. "Killian, look I am very sorry about Liam, he was an honorable man. I didn't order him to bring back dream shade I gave him an important mission but it wasn't for some poisonous plant. The sultan of Agrabah's visor must've given me the wrong plant name. I'm sure it was all a mistake. I **_want_** to believe it was all a mistake but that man is shifty and he makes The Dark One seem light as a unicorn."

"I remember him." Killian said as this information settled in his brain. He stared into his glass as he swirled the liquid inside untouched.

Aria ran up the stairs as fast as she could to her grandmother's study there was her grandmother this is Snow White. She thought watching her grandmother lift a hand and a bluebird landed on it. Aria smiled. Her grandmother always loved her birds. She remembered the tails growing up (Because almost 11 was grown up.) Aria wiped away the tears and ran to hug her grandmother.

Snow was knocked back at the fierceness of Aria's hug. She had not even heard the girl come in then she was all but throwing the both of them out the window. She smiled and wrapped Aria in a tight hug. After raising four children of her own and then raising Aria to the beautiful young woman she was becoming, Snow was not unaccustomed to strange outbursts both affectionate and in temper, she hugged Aria back as fiercely as she could.

"I found him, I found my dad, "Aria whispered. "I brought him here."

"Oh Honey, Do you think that will work?"

"It has to!" Aria cried." I miss my mom, I just want her back."

"I know Sweetie, I know."

Later that evening Killian walked Aria to her room and gave her a goodnight hug then turned to leave.

"She's in her room." Aria spoke to his back before opening her door and disappearing inside.

Killian stared at the closed door for a long time before he made his decision.

She was laid out in her bed in a glorious blue gown her blonde hair was spread all about her as if she had just brushed it.

"Aria." Snow White stood at the door behind him." Aria comes in every night and brushes her mother's hair and talks to her she tells her all about her day and life without her mother. She didn't want Emma to miss her." Snow's voice broke on the last few words and Killian turned to look at her.

"I have only begun to get to know my daughter I can't imagine life without her. I can only imagine what you are going through right now, your majesty. And I can't even begin to understand how Aria is coping with this."

"Aria found you. She brought you back because she thinks you can save her mother and God help her I fear she has her father's determination. I never got to know you as well I did Liam but I saw Emma fall in love with you. I knew she loved you before she did. She may be her father's daughter but she is also mine. And I will do anything to protect her as I will that little girl down the hall. "Snow turned on her heel and left the room with Killian looking over Emma's sleeping form. He moved to the side of her bed and sat in the chair. He glanced down at her hands folded on her chest his ring sat proudly against the pale skin of her hand. He reached out and ran a finger over the ruby stone.

"It's been a long time. I met Aria. She's a great kid. I think you will agree. She brought me here you know." He told her. He scooped one of her small hands up in his and clasped it tight then spoke to her. I don't know if you can hear me or not but I still loved you that day. I loved you more than I've ever loved anyone in my life, It scared me how much you meant to me." He felt tears fill his eyes at the overwhelming feeling of lost love. "I screwed up Emma. I screwed up. And because of that we both lost the first ten years of our daughter's life. I don't want to lose her again. I don't want to lose you again. But I'm not sure I trust my heart. Liam was the greatest man I've ever know and he was gone in a second without warning and I threw away a damn good life in my grief and now look at me..."

He stood and shook his head he didn't know that he was watched by Aria who was hiding in the shadow of a tall fern by the door. He turned back to Emma and gazed at her longingly. He wanted to be the one to break the curse but he didn't want to be the one to not break the curse.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Killian sat down to breakfast and Aria got up and left the table not looking at him. She strode right past him and Killian was surprised by the cold Shoulder. He looked at David and at Snow who both took a sudden fascination with their breakfast. Killian sighed and stood to follow Aria out of the dining room. He found her in her mother's chamber.

"Aria, what's wrong?" Killian asked. She looked up at him, tears in her green eyes and on her cheeks.

"I miss my mama. Why won't you just wake her up?"

"It's not that easy, luv. Emma was in love with a boy. A sailor. A navy officer. I am not that boy any longer. I am a pirate."

"You may be a pirate but you are still you. You're still that boy. You are still her true love."

"No, I am not."

Killian stomped out of the room with Aria hot on his heels.

"You're right. I don't know what I was thinking. I wanted a hero not some broken pirate. My mother needs you. I need you but you- you are broken and what's worse? You don't want to be fixed."

Killian walked away dejectedly not saying a word he pushed through the nearest doors and strode through till he found a tree and sat on the ground under it his knees to his chest and his head on his knees.

David approached quietly. "Aria is stubborn like her mother and her grandmother. She means well. She has lived for ten years with no mother. Snow has done the best she could for the girl but truth be told she was never good enough in Aria's eye."

"Arabella loves her grandmother I see it every time she speaks of her." Killian told him.

"Yes, they have a very special bond that can't be replicated, but Snow is not Emma. Aria is determined that her mother will awake from this curse and all our lives will slip back into place like nothing ever happened. But what her young mind doesn't realize is that Emma doesn't know Aria, Emma has never held her daughter not the daughter she has now, Emma knows Arai as a baby. This will be hard on her when she wakes."

"You sound as though you speak from experience your majesty."

"Yes, my father wasn't always my father. I never knew him growing up I was the son of a farm couple and the one day I was a prince. My father was harsh he didn't know what love was. Emma knows what love was but it's going to be all new for her when she wakes up. She was in that curse for ten years."

"I feel that everyone expects me to wake her but I don't think I'm the right person."

"There's only one way to find out."

"Right, First I need to talk to Aria." Killian rubbed a hand over the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. Aria was still not talking to him.

"She's in the library." David supplied with a grin.

"Right, Thank-you then." Killian gave a small bow and headed toward the door.

"Killian, Aria has her mother's temperament but also her forgiving heart. Tell her the truth, she'll understand." Killian nodded and left the king grinning at his back. Aria may forgive him but she would definitely make him work for it. She takes after her mother but also her grandmother.

Killian paused outside the library and took a deep breath and told himself it would be fine. She was just a kid, how bad could it be? He shoved open the library doors and the sight before him had his brain fogging over in a shocked haze before turning red. "Who the Bloody hell are you? And why do you have hands on my daughter?" Aria was sitting in a chair her tunic and leggings exchanged for an informal gown of mossy green her hair in some intricate braid on top of her head books scattered about on every surface available and the young man sitting in front of her in a black and gray tunic and trousers had hair as black as coal and eyes as blue as the sky. Both young people turned shocked eyes to him pulling apart from the embrace Killian had witnessed.

"Dad!" Aria exclaimed in shock. Killian pulled the young man away from his daughter and held him by the collar of his tunic.

"Why did you have your hands on my daughter? She is just a child." The young man tried to speak but Killian increased his grip on the man's tunic to where he couldn't speak.

"I'm not a child! "Aria exclaimed going toe to toe with her father angry green eyes met angry blue eyes and both sets filled with a million emotions.

"You're ten years old, you are a child."

"I'm almost eleven I'm not a child."

"Almost eleven means ten and ten means you're a child." The argument grew louder.

Aria picked up a vase nearby and heaved it at Killian, Killian ducked and pulled the young man down as the vase flew past their heads and crashed on the wall. "Why do you care? Why do you care who has hands on me? You don't want me. You don't want to be a family. You won't break the curse! I hate you!"

Killian released the young man who attempted to slink away from the violence but Killian shoved one hand without looking to the man's chest and shoved him back up against the wall.

"I love you, Aria and I want to be a family. " Killian screamed back "I want to break the curse and I want your mother to forgive me but I don't know if that will happen." He yelled.

Aria stomped past Killian and ran from the room shoving David out of the way. David looked at Killian then the young man and sighed. He had heard enough through the doors to know what was going on he didn't know however that there was a third party involved. He stepped between Killian and the young man as Killian turned his angry gaze to the young man.

"I see you've met my son."

"Aye we've met- your son?" Killian looked into a pair of very familiar blue eyes. "Leopold, I should've recognized you."

"Leopold should've recognized you." He released the boy and stepped away. Leo looked at him and sighed. "Aria is my niece. I have no designs on her at all." He shook his tunic off and straightened it." Not to mention she's still a child. And I have my eyes on another girl at the moment."

"Who?!" David demanded. Leo just smiled. Killian looked at the door Aria had retreated through and grimaced. Then he glanced down as Leo moved to pick up the pieces of the broken vase. "Sorry about the vase, your majesties. I hope it was not an irreplaceable family heirloom."

"Heirloom, yes but not one I was fond of. It came from Snow's father."

"Just like my name." Leo added. Both men glanced at him.

"I was never fond of it." David added.

"Just like my name." Leo threw in again. David gave him a look.

"Most unfortunate," Killian smiled at David and David grinned back.

"Very." David agreed.

"Just like my name." Leo stated.

David turned to look at him. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Not at all," Leo stated. David turned back to Killian and Leo spoke again, "It's just that you saddled your only son with a name like Leopold and you never liked it in the first place. I mean a future king should have a healthy strong fear inducing name. Wouldn't you say so Mr. Jones?"

Killian grinned and decided he would enjoy watching the king squirm a bit. "Aye, that I would," David glared at him.

"David, now that's a fine name for a king." Leo stated. "Mr. Jones I believe as a Pirate you meet lots of interesting and intimidating people of various names and lineage, am I correct?"

"Aye," Killian agreed.

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" David bellowed at his son.

"Nothing, I just wanted to remind you that Mom really loved that vase, like my name, it was from Grandad. I happen to like my name. It's a good name to catch the girls. You better clean that up before Mom sees it." Leo pointed to the scattered remains of the ugly vase. David growled and looked at Killian.

"I think I need to go find Aria." Killian decided. He nodded to the prince, "It was a pleasure to meet you again. You've grown into a fine young man. If you'll excuse me I need to go find my daughter."

Killian grinned at David and slipped out the door. He traveled down the hall where he found Aria sitting by the wall with her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked up at him but instead of tears her eyes were fierce. "I don't hate you, I am very mad at you. I heard you last night. I heard you tell my mother you didn't want to break the curse because you don't believe. You have to believe. You have to believe me. What do I need to do to prove it to you? Eat a poisoned apple?"

"I'd rather you didn't but I do believe you. I love you very much. I have only known you a few weeks but I already can't imagine life without you."

Aria broke, and she cried in her father's arms. Killian held her tight until her tears subsided. She pulled back and wiped her eyes. "I'm not a child and Uncle Leo is one of my best friends. I need to go apologize to him. Actually you do but I'll take care of it."

"Your uncle and I have made peace, luv. He's cleaning up a vase that someone broke, a vase that your grandmother was quite fond of." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I guess I need to go tell grandma what happened. "

"Yes, I guess you do."

"And I guess you have a princess to wake up." Aria grinned at him then hugged him and skipped a way. It all seemed so easy to her, but not to him.

He slowly walked towards where Emma lay still in her sleep. He stared down at her he didn't know what to expect.

"I guess you never thought you'd see me again..." He ran his finger over the ring on her finger. Aria must have put it back on Emma's had at some point. It looked good there as good as it had when he had placed it there. "Or maybe you did." He sighed and sat down beside her.

"So this is it. This is the moment of truth. Are we true love? I never stopped loving you. Through all the hate and misery that blinded me and through everything I did I never stopped. You are the only one for me. There's never been anyone I love more than you and Aria. She's great, you know. I can't wait till you get to know her. I guess I don't get how this thing works. Maybe you already know her. Anyhow, let's do this." He bent down and kissed her lips and a white wave rushed over them he smiled against her mouth and straightened. But Emma's eyes were still closed.

Aria rushed into the room." You did it!" she cried then stopped when she noticed her mother was still sleeping. "Mama!" She cried." Why isn't she awake? It was true love's kiss, I saw it."

Killian pulled her close and hugged her, "I don't know. "

The doors opened and Snow White followed by David and Leo rushed in with a young girl a few years older than Aria whom Killian had never met all stopped immediately upon seeing Emma's body still lying there. The young girl rushed to Aria and pulled her into her arms. She smiled at Killian though the sadness played through her eyes.

They all stood for a long time staring at Emma, willing her to awaken and yet nothing happened. The family lead Aria away and David stopped and clapped Killian on the shoulder before walking away. Killian took his seat next to Emma's bedside again. He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips.

"I don't know where you are. I don't know if you're having a hard time coming back to us. Did my kiss not work? Please come back." He begged. He fell asleep holding her hand.

Late into the night a gasp of air woke Killian he looked up to find Emma's eyes open and staring at him. She looked confused. "Killian?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey all!**

 **Thanks for reading. This chapter is going to have a lot of angst. I seem to do that a lot I'm sorry but it will all work out in the end... Maybe ;)**

 **Aria thinks everything is going to peachy now that her mommy is awake but they have some missing years because the last time Emma saw her daughter was the day she gave birth to her. now she's nearly a teenager. She realizes that her family didn't sleep with her for ten years.**

 **Killian and Emma have a lot more issues to deal with. True love but they didn't leave on a good note, neither stopped loving the other but they have to work things out. Emma doesn't know if she trusts him to stick around this time.**

 **And I have not forgotten in the next couple of chapters we will learn what really happened to Liam. So keep reading to get some Captain Charming moments.**

 **Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!**

 **Ang-**

"Emma. Luv, it's all right. You're awake." Killian kissed her hand then closed his eyes and thanked whatever Gods had sent her back to him.

"What are you doing here? What am I doing here?" She placed a hand on her flat abdomen, "The baby, My Arabella where is she? Regina!" Emma tried to get up only to feel dizzy and start to fall backwards.

Killian caught her as she fell back and gently on the bed." Arabella is fine. I will get her for you, you stay here and relax."

"I don't want to relax. I feel as though I have been sleeping for a century."

"More like a decade." Killian quipped. Killian led the way to Aria's chambers.

"What do you mean? When did you get here? How do you know about the baby?"

"Emma, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Going into labor with Arabella." Emma stopped. "This is not the way to the Nursery. Where is the baby? Where is Arabella? By the way you never told me why or how you knew to be here."

"I will explain everything after you see our daughter."

" _Our_ daughter? You left me. You said you didn't want to be a father so I told you the baby died."

"Aye, we have some talking to do but first let me say this, I love you Emma. You are my true love and the only one for me. "

Emma smiled but shook her head. "We have a lot to discuss."

Killian opened the door and they crept together toward the bed. Emma looked at the sleeping child tears stained the child's face and Emma couldn't help but think she looked familiar somehow. "Who is this? Did she come with you?"

"You could say that…" Killian smiled at her and said, "Emma meet Aria." He shook the child's shoulder and she opened her eyes to a lazy slit them closed them. But before they could close all the way they popped open and she bolted up from her bed and cried "Mama!"

Emma stepped back in shock. "Killian, How long was I asleep?" She asks staring at the blonde girl with tears in her eyes.

"Nearly eleven years." He answers quietly. He still blames himself for not getting to her sooner for not knowing anything sooner.

Emma stared at the little girl in the bed her eyes rake over every feature the Blonde hair and green eyes that were identical to hers the long blonde hair that was identical to hers. It was a face that Emma had seen in her dreams every night for the last ten years.

Emma rushed out of the room down the hall to the bedchamber her parents shared and slammed the door open causing both the King and the Queen to pop up in bed.

"Emma! You're awake!" Snow jumped out of bed and ran to her daughter, David was right on her heels they folded Emma into a hug then Aria rushed in with Leo and Rachel close behind soon the whole family was in a crying hug. Killian tried to slip out but caught Emma's eyes and instead he stayed.

Emma did not sleep that night swearing she wouldn't sleep for another ten years. She sat in a corner of the library Killian and Aria sat on either side of her. The trio watched the sunrise in silence. Aria slipped her arms around her mother's waist and rested her head on her shoulder. Aria had not seemed to notice that Emma had yet to touch her, but Killian noticed. Aria's eyes dropped closed and she soon fell into the deep sleep of a child. Carefully Killian walked over and scooped Aria up and placed her on the couch and covered her with a wrap that was draped over a chair in the corner. He walked back to Emma and held out his hand. Watching him under her eyelashes Emma took his hand and he led her to the garden beyond the library walls.

"Emma, Luv, tell me what's wrong. " Killian pleaded. Emma shook her head.

"There's nothing wrong. It's all great but everyone is so different. Leo is all grown up. He was just a teenager when I … fell asleep."

"Luv, things are going to be different. You have been asleep for ten years."

"Why are you here? How did you even know about me? I sent you that letter 10 years ago before Aria was even born and told you that I had lost the baby. I did it to keep my daughter from being around you. I don't want her growing up and having her heartbroken by a vengeful pirate hell-bent on destroying my father's good name. I hated you when you left me, and I hate that I still love you." Emma looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm in love with you and you may be my true love but I don't like you very much right now." Emma walked slowly away from him. She stopped when he called her name.

"I'm sorry. I never stopped loving you. Aria showed up on my doorstep a month ago and told me who she was. Damn you for keeping her from me. Damn you. Damn me for being the selfish bastard I was to force you to keep her from me. I was in grief I wasn't thinking straight and I took my grief out on you. I have had many talks with your father since coming here. But I will not keep you."

Killian walked over and gathered the sleeping child in his arms and without looking back at Emma he took Aria to bed and covered her up then went to his own room and shut the door quietly.

Emma picked up the blanket that Aria had been covered with and sniffed she didn't smell the baby she never held. She smelled memories she wasn't a part of.

***Ten years ago***

 _"_ _One more push Emma, you can do it." Doc encouraged, the baby was determined._

 _Emma was a few weeks away from her time but Doc had assured her that the baby would be fine. She was strong and the baby was strong, Emma had used magic to check on her daughter. Finding her healthy and strong and ready to meet the world Emma gave one more push and laughed at the sound of indignant cries. "She doesn't sound very happy." Doc passed the baby off to the waiting hands of Snow White, as she moved toward the bed she asked the baby's name and Emma smiled and said. "Arabella, she is Arabella." Snow cooed at the tiny princess and moved to hand her over to Emma's out stretched arms when a cloud of purple smoke appeared and Regina stepped through it._

 _"_ _Hello, Snow. Emma." Snow white cradled the baby closer to her chest and Emma surged to her feet, weakened by just giving birth. Regina held out her hand and in it appeared a spindle and she reached toward the baby and Emma instinctively moved in front of her and Regina was gone. Snow and Emma looked around but Regina appeared to be gone._

 _Snow placed the baby in the basket wrapped a tiny blanket with the name of "Emma" embroidered on it. Then she and Emma turned to David who had just entered the room as Doc happily left to announce the birth of the new princess to the waiting dwarves and castle staff._

 _Emma walked towards the cradle and was stopped in her tracks unable to move. Regina reappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Emma's eyes widened in fear as Regina slowly leaned toward the sleeping infant._

 _"_ _Wait!" She yelled out. "Don't touch the baby. Take me instead"_

 _"_ _Well where would the fun in that be?" Suddenly Regina was shot across the room in a blast of light. And In the few moments before she regained her feet, Emma pulled all of her magic up inside her and used it to expel a protection charm over the infant no one would ever be able to harm her daughter again. In the next moment Regina surged forward, she looked at Emma and reached for the baby and was again shot against the wall by Emma's protection. Emma watched in horror as Regina used her magic to attempt to break the charm around her daughter as she saw the bubble lower Emma surged forward breaking from whatever kept her in place and stuck her arm in between the needle of the spindle and the newborn. Feeling a prick and hearing Regina's grunt of dismay Emma slid to the floor in a cursed sleep. The baby had never been held by her mother, but little did either of them know in this moment Emma had forged a bond that would reunite mother with daughter in dreams, neither knowing who the other is._

The next morning Emma woke to find two small arms wrapped around her tightly. She looked down and saw a blob of blonde hair sticking out in every direction. She smiled despite herself at the sight, because she too had always been a mess in the mornings.

Emma quietly ran a hand over the hair smoothing it and then she pushed it out of the way to see Arabella's face. Oh how much she looked like Killian Emma thought, sure she had her hair but that stubborn set of the jaw was all Jones. She ran a finger across Aria's brow and sighed the eyebrows, She had Killian's eyebrows. OF all the things to inherit, Emma chuckled silently. She wondered if she did the one raised eyebrow thing that Killian did. Slowly two green eyes so much like her own opened and Emma smiled down at her daughter.

"Hi." Emma whispered. The arms tightened and Aria buried her head in her mother's chest her shoulders shook with sobs. Emma wrapped her arms around Aria and hugged her as tight as she could. It was the first time mother and daughter had embraced and Emma immediately regretted not doing it before.

"I was afraid it was a dream. That you were really not here."

"Oh, Honey. I am here now. Nothing is ever going to take you away from me again. I'm so sorry." Emma soothed.

"I love you." Aria said. Emma's heart swelled with Love for the daughter she never knew but was now holding. "I love you too." Emma tightened her arms around Aria's waist." So tell me how did your father get here?"

"I found him. Grandma and Grandpa always told me who he was and one day I ran away to find him so he could break the curse. I knew he was your true love. Grandma told me how he saved Uncle Leo and then you guys met at your ball and she caught you kissing." Aria giggled. "How did you fall in love?"

"I guess you could say he swept me off my feet." Emma replied. She started to move out from under the covers when something purple caught her eye, She pulled back the blankets and there were two baby blankets hanging from the edge of the bed. She lifted the top one and ran her fingers over the purple ribbon that wrapped around the edge of the blanket. In the corner it read "Emma". She looked at Aria "This is my baby blanket. We used it to wrap you in because Granny had not finished one for you yet. I didn't tell anyone that you were a girl or that I was naming you Arabella."

Aria pulled the other one out. It had a ribbon also but unlike Emma's this blanket was not just one color. It had nearly every color of yarn Emma had ever seen. And in the corner in red was the name "Arabella".

"Granny said I was too special to have one color on my blanket."

"I see. That must make you pretty special." Emma looked at the blanket her vision blurring with tears. I never got to hold you. I never got to kiss you. I missed so much."

" Well you can hold me and kiss me now. I won't mind." Aria's own voice broke a little.

Emma wrapped the blanket around Aria and hugged her and they lay back down in the bed and Emma pulled the covers over their heads and they giggled. "So tell me everything."

"Uncle Leo is in love." Aria told her mother with a grin.

"Really? With who? "Emma inquired laughing at the smug grin on Aria's face.

"Her name is Danielle. She is the daughter of Princess Katherine and Prince Frederick, He met her when her parents visited last year and they have written letters back and forth. She visits all the time."

"Well now I have something to torment him about." Emma decided. "What about you, any prospective beaus lined up?"

"Aria giggled "Mama, I'm almost eleven. I won't have any suitors for at least two more years." She told her, and I think Dad might kill them if I did. He nearly beat up Uncle Leo because he saw us hugging. He didn't know who Leo was at the time."

"Hmm. So tell em about your father."

"I found him I followed his ship then I followed him to a tavern and pounded on his door until he opened it for me. Then I refused to leave. But he didn't believe me at first."

"Hmm," Emma said. "Well I suppose we had better get dressed and meet the family for breakfast." Aria jumped up and rushed over to the wardrobe and pulled a blue velvet gown that was hanging inside. Emma had never seen this gown before.

"Wear this one." Aria said innocently.

Emma caught a gleam of mischief in her eye and decided not to press her intentions at the moment. She smiled and slipped behind the screen to change into her gown. She stepped out and turned her back to Aria."Can you tighten the laces for me honey? I guess ten years in a sleeping curse has made me forget a few things like how to tighten my own gown."

"No problem, _honey_ "

Emma gasped as a large calloused finger ran down the length of her back in a familiar manner. She whipped her head around to meet Killian's gaze.

"Aria let me in. She said she needed to go get dressed. "He said by way of explanation as he tightened the strings on her gown innocently but expertly. Emma raised her eyebrows at his expertise but didn't say a word.

"Aria? Arabella?" Emma asked turning her head around and looking at him. She didn't know why suddenly she was so shy. Her body had changed in the nine months she was pregnant and changed again after giving birth apparently though she wasn't sure how. Probably some cure-all, that Doc mixed up. But Killian had obviously seen her body at 17 but he hadn't seen the 28 year old version of her body and suddenly she felt like that fourteen year old girl who met the most handsome man in all the lands again. His fingers worked nimbly on the laces of her dress not too tight not too loose she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and she could hear him grin when it came out shaky.

"I can hear you smiling." She tried to keep the amusement out of her voice but couldn't help the slight upturn of her lips. "You're awfully good at this, must have been lots of broken hearts over the last ten years."

"There have been a few, but none that mattered. None of them came close to you." He leaned in and breathed the words to her placing a whisper of a kiss on the shell of her ear. Emma shivered.

Killian stepped back and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm staying Emma. I'm staying in your life and I'm staying in Aria's life. I love her and I love you. I have some ghosts to chase soon but I will be here for you." He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to him pressing his lips against hers. Her hands came up and tangled in the hair at the back of his neck. When they broke apart she sighed and rested her forehead against his.

"I love you too, but I have ghosts of my own to chase and I just want to take things slow."

He kissed her forehead and smiled, "I can do slow." They left the room hand in hand. Together they strolled down the hallway toward the large breakfast room.

Emma turned to him, "Arabella, you call her Aria?." Emma asked.

"Aye, that's what she told me, said only her mother called her Arabella.'

"I like Aria. It's spunky like her." Emma decided. "Aria wears trousers and uses a bow and arrow and climbs trees and Arabella is the princess my mother insisted I try to act like every once in awhile. Arabella would have dancing lessons and Royal balls and etiquette classes."

"I don't recall any of them doing you any good." Remembering the poor prince she stepped all over the night they met. They shared a smile and she paused outside the doors to the breakfast room.

"Despite everything I'm glad you are here." She smiled at him then entered the room and gasped. The entire family sat around the large table. She counted three young ladies that were most likely her sister's at least two small children, Nieces? Her parents and six of the dwarves her mother befriended. Two young men one she recognized as Leo and another she didn't recognize the girls looked to range from age twenty-five down to twelve or maybe thirteen. The younger boy looked to be about eight. She glanced up at Killian and he squeezed her hand lightly then led her to a chair next to Aria and took the one across from her.

Aria grinned at her mom. "I can write their name on their face if it would help you. "

"It might. " Emma grinned, "But I don't recommend it. Leo looks fierce."

"Nah, he's a big baby. I can get anything I want from him." Aria smiled at him and his whole face lit up and he smiled back. Emma decided Aria must be an obvious favorite. She glanced around at several of the other people in the room. The dwarves obviously had not changed. She smiled at grumpy who gave her a grumpy version of a smile right back. Then she glanced at the girl on Aria's right, "Who is this?" Emma asked.

Aria smiled broadly." This is Rachel she is your younger sister, she was adopted by your parents when Regina attacked her home and killed her family, and she was my best friend and still is."

"It's very nice to meet you, Rachel."

"As it is to meet you, your highness."

"Please I'm your sister. You girls will have to tell me the story sometime soon."

Both girls giggled and Emma laughed at their joy. She smiled at her youngest brother; her parents were engaged in their own little conversation with Happy and Bashful at the other end of the long table. He didn't smile back. Leo scuffed a hand over the boys head. "Emma, this is David Jr. We call him DJ. He's an ugly little thing. I tried to convince our mother to throw him back but for some reason she seemed attached to the homely fellow," the boy glared at Leo. Emma laughed

"I seem to recall telling Mother the same thing when you were born ," Dj laughed. Both of her brothers were anything but homely given their mother's natural beauty and their father's good looks, and at least Leo had inherited his father's charms.

"And as I told you both, I love all my children despite how much they resemble an ogre." Snow teased from the head of the table, Obvious love gleamed in her eyes and Emma felt that love extend to her.

Leo winked at Aria and Rachel then told Emma,"Wanna watch mother flip her lid?"

Emma pretended to consider it for a while but nodded in agreement.

Leo stood up and looked over at tone the young ladies Emma had thought to be sisters. "I have an announcement-"

"Leo, you promised." The young lady said.

"Yeah well I lied. I asked Danielle to marry me last night and she accepted-'

"Assuming you all agree. We haven't told my parents yet."

There were cheers all around and Aria was practically beaming. She turned to Emma. "I introduced them. Danielle is five years younger than Leo but I knew it was true love. I think I have a gift, I can tell who someone's true love is."

"Very nice gift, you could open a match maker shop." Aria took in the idea and turned to Rachel and the girls began giggling, Emma stole a glance at Killian and he smiled across the table at her.

The breakfast went on with talk of wedding plans and dresses and the men talked war and battle strategy and Emma just sat and watched them all then tears formed in her eyes and she couldn't control them she stood abruptly and left the room without a word.


	8. Chapter 8

Aria and Rachel were running around in the gardens chasing butterflies barefoot. Emma stood in the window and watched them with a smile. They had so much energy and acted like sisters. She was so glad her parents had adopted Rachel and that Aria had grown up with a best friend. She laughed when the girls got a little too over eager to catch the same butterfly and ended up tripping over each other. Down they went in a tangle of long limbs. Emma couldn't help but smile at the antics of the young girls. It made her heart sore with love.

Snow approached Emma and smiled at the sight through the window. She placed an arm around Emma's shoulders and hugged her to her side. Emma leaned into Snow and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. Then lifted it and looked at her, how is it your what twice my age or nearly –"

Snow gave Emma a scolding look she used on each of her children when they were up to no good. "Bite your tongue."

Emma smiled,"However you don't look a day older than the day Aria was born."

Snow laughed at her, "That's easy, Doc is a genius with potions for a non-magical he's got some pretty good magic in him. He makes me a youth potion and I drink it every year to stay young and healthy."

Emma's mouth dropped open and she felt her chin hit her chest," Serious?"

Snow let out a deep laugh and shook her head at Emma," no, I was only teasing. I guess I'm just lucky, your father too should mean well for you. Oh my darling daughter you were always too gullible."

Emma laughed with her mom and hooked her arm through Snow's and they walked toward the open doors leading to the garden. Emma looked at the girls and then glanced back at Snow. "So you adopted Rachel?"

"Yes, when she was only three, Aria was about two and a half, there's barely six months between them. Rachel's mother Delia was Aria's nurse maid." Snow watched realization form in Emma's mind.

"Her wet nurse because her mother was in a sleeping curse and couldn't feed her."

"Its common practice. Ella had to hire a wet-nurse, when she couldn't perform her motherly duties after baby Thomas was born."

"I know but I feel bad because I should have been here."

"Emma, if you had been here it would be Aria in that bed asleep. You brought that precious child into the world and then you saved her life. And you brought Rachel into our lives through that act of true love." Snow watched the girls run around carefree. It was such a relief to see the kids being kids again. She noticed off in the distance her son Dj, climbing a little too high in a tree. But relaxed when she saw Grumpy walk to the tree and start pointing at the ground. No doubt giving the energetic prince an earful. "Delia was Aria's nurse, when Aria became too old to nurse, Delia insisted on leaving us but we wouldn't let her go too far. We set her up in the cottage that used to sit at the end of the property that way Rachel could still play with Aria. Delia's husband Joseph was killed in the ogre wars shortly before Rachel was born. It was just the two of them Delia was a very proud woman. She was also one of my best friends during our short time together. One night the cottage started up on fire for no reason. Rachel came screaming to the castle LeRoy hot on her heels to inform us that Regina just threw some fire balls at the cottage. I thought Delia was safe and then Rachel told me her mommy was in the house. By the time the dwarves, David and Graham reached the castle it was too late. We took Rachel in for about 4 months to avoid sending her to an orphanage. One night I told David I wanted to adopt Rachel to be her parents, and he agreed. We talked to Rachel she was only four didn't really understand much but she understood staying to be Aria's sister. I couldn't love her more if she came from my own womb."

Emma wiped a tear and hugged her mom, "I missed you." She kissed Snow's cheek. "I'm glad you're my mom." She looked at the girls and then her mother, "I want to make Arai and Rachel gowns for the ball I know your planning."

"I have no idea what you could possibly mean; I know just who we need for this. Granny can help you. Though, unless you gained some new magical skills while you were in that sleep, you may need more than Granny, you may need a miracle." Emma stuck her tongue out at Snow and looked back out the window. Her breath hitched when she saw Killian walk over to the girls. She watched as Dj ran over to see what ever Killian was showing the girls.

"So, how are things with Killian?" Snow wondered, Emma felt her cheeks go red and she her mother.

"Things are okay, for now. We're going to take things slow."

"I think that's a great idea. Just remember you can only run so long, before something catches up to you." Snow said, "Or someone." She added when she saw Killian meet Emma's eyes she saw the slow smile spread on her daughters face and the one that mirrored it on Killian's face. "Do you want my advice?"

"Always," Emma said not removing her gaze form Killian's.

"Don't go too slow." Snow stood up and called the children in to attend studies. As she led three groaning children in to the castle she watched Emma walk toward Killian.

Killian felt his heart beat pick up as he watched Emma walk towards him. She smiled at him and he would swear his knees went weak. Emma walked straight to him and grabbed his hand and pulled him along towards the garden. She sat on a bench pulling him down beside her. As soon as he sat she was in his arms and her mouth was hot on his, Killian wasn't one to pass up opportunity. She smiled against his mouth and caught her breath before running her fingers over the beard on his cheeks and into the hair on the back of his head. He loved her hands on him in any way he could get them. "I think if this goes any further we need to find some privacy." Emma laughed and kissed his lips again then stood up and walked away without a backward glance. Killian let out a breath and sat still for a minute not sure what his next move should be. Emma disappeared around the corner in a swish of skirts.

Killian sat up in his bed quietly wondering what had woke him from his sleep, and then he saw a blonde head through the sliver of light coming in from the cracked door. "Aria, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I don't know if I should take that as an insult or a compliment that you thought I was our ten year old daughter." His momentary shock was replaced by amusement at the thought of Emma sneaking in to his bedchambers. He glanced up at her in her thin silk night gown bare feet.

"Almost eleven year old daughter," Killian joked. Emma laughed quietly.

"You'd think at eleven she gained the keys to the kingdom or something, the way she reminds everybody of that." Emma didn't ask or wait for permission she simply picked up the heavy blanket and slid under it coming up to wrap an arm around Killian's waist. He simply smiled and rested back on the pillows with Emma in his arms. He had never felt so good. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and rested his cheek on her hair. Emma sighed contently this is what she needed. She needed to be held. And she needed to be held by Killian. She looked up at him and smiled

"Hi."

"Hi."

Killian bent down and pressed a light kiss to her lips and then smiled at her. She felt the pull all the way down to her toes which she was certain had just curled at his smiled. Damn him for causing her to want him so much.

"I couldn't sleep. I keep having these dreams I had them before. I am in a room surrounded by fire and there's someone else in the dream with me but I've never known who it was. I don't see them I just know they are there. I talk to them and it's like they are in my head. It's not scary just a little unsettling."

He rubbed his arms over hers to comfort her and she leaned into his touch rested her head on his bare chest and closed her eyes. He pressed another kiss to the top of her head. Closing his eyes he just memorized the feel of her in his arms.

They both opened their eyes when the bedroom doors opened again letting in a crack of light. Arai came shuffling in tears drying on her face. She looked up and saw her parents then crawled up from the bottom of the bed to wedge between them. Emma reached out instinctively for her wrapping her in the cocoon of her arms Killian wrapped them both in his he had been wrong before holding Emma was the next best feeling in the world to holding his family in his arms. This had to be the best feeling ever.

"Why are you crying, Sweetheart?" Emma hugged her tighter.

"I had a dream."

"Was it a bad dream?" Emma asked smoothing the hair away from Aria's forehead.

"Not bad, just strange. I've had them forever"

Killian ran a hand over head, "We're here if you want to talk about it."

She sighed sleepily and snuggled in closer, "Mmmk," She slipped dreamlessly into sleep and let out a tiny snore, Emma and Killian both laughed softly.

"The first night she came to me, I thought she was some crazy lost kid and didn't believe her then I looked into her eyes and my heart hurt because I know who she was and I was so angry that you had kept her form me I sent her away then realized I sent her into a den full of rowdy pirates, Not that I don't believe for one second that our daughter could defend herself, I opened the door and she was sleeping on the floor in front of it. I carried her to bed and sat beside the bed that nigh and watched her sleep the whole night. I was awed. We have a beautiful baby girl, Emma."

"I know, I don't know where to go from here but I don't want to lose either of you, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

He bent down placed a soft kiss on Arias head then met Emma's lips with his own. They talked quietly for hours. She slept for the first time since waking form the curse dreamlessly in Killian's arms with their daughter safely cocooned between them. She never felt more blessed.

Killian came awoke in stages First thing he noticed was he was freezing. Emma and Arai had stolen the covers and were wrapped up in it in a tangle of arms and legs. The second thing he noticed was that he was on the very edge of the bed. A bed this big should be able to fit two grown adults and one little girl but apparently their daughter and her mother needed more room. The next thought was that the image he looked at was an image he wanted to wake up to everyday. He had to make a trip to town today. He got out of bed and placed a soft kiss on each blonde head before getting dressed and slipping out the door.

His first stop was to the private office of the king and queen. He knocked before slipping his head in the door.

"Killian, what a surprise," Snow greeted perkily. Killian stepped into the office and stood awkwardly behind a chair David glance up from the parchment he was reading and gave him a questioning look.

"Is everything all right?" David asked concerned about his friend.

"Yes everything is fine, I'd like to –"He paused and took a deep breath. "I'd like to ask Emma to marry me" He smiled finding it easier to speak once the words were said out loud." I love her, she loves me we love our daughter I want to be a family."

"Yes, of course. We love you Killian always have you're a very honorable man and a great father and we have no doubt you will keep our daughter very happy." Snow said jabbing David with her elbow.

"Of course we give you all the best wishes. " Killian smiled broadly and started to leave the room.

"Killian, do you have a ring?" Snow asked.

"Uh, I do not. I was going in town to find one."

"I have the perfect one for Emma." Snow walked to a vault hidden in the wall behind a picture and took out a velvet box and opened it to show him.

"I had it made for Emma, for her eighteenth birthday but everything that happened changed those plans and I'd like you to give it to her with our blessing."

"I'd be honored." Killian looked at the ring the stone was almost the exact color of his eyes he ran a finger over the crisscross pattern overlapping with forget me not flower. "It's beautiful."

"We always knew she loved you. And when I saw the stone I had to get it for her, I had intended to make it only a necklace but the stone was too big so we I had a ring made too."

"I was going to give her the ring for her birthday but Aria was born and the curse mere days before, so we left it in the vault all this time."

"Through all of this, waking Emma and meeting Aria and watching Emma fall in love with our daughter I never thought about your role in all of this. You had ten years to worry about your daughter to see her day after day still sleeping, and a newborn to rise amongst your own children, a kingdom to run, an evil queen to protect your home from. You truly are very magnificent people. You never gave up on her. You raised Aria to never give up on her either." Killian knelt in front of them and bowed his head. "I am honored to be able to call you both my family."

"I like you." Snow said laughing. 'I know you will treat my daughter with the love and respect she deserves."

David nodded at him, "You're right it wasn't easy, but it was one of the easiest choices we ever made. Arabella is our granddaughter raising her these last ten years has been a joy. Sure it's had its sad times and it's a bit strange to keep your cursed daughter sleeping in her bed chambers for ten years." David laughed lightly." But we love Emma, and we love Aria and even though you did accuse me of murder we have grown to love you. We love how you take care of Emma. We love how you brought Aria back to us even though you could have run off with her. We love how we can see that you will take care of both of them no matter what."

"Thank you your majesties. If you will excuse I have a daughter to speak to before I go find your daughter." Killian left in search of Aria.

He found her in the kitchen begging the cook for scraps to feed the family of mice she found in the barn. She held then in an old bird cage and gave the stern cook her most adorable sad princess look. She was not winning.

"Please Miss Abbi. You know I won't let them get in the kitchen I'll keep them in the barn. They're hungry."

Abbi looked sternly at the young princess, "No. No. No. Mice are not pets. You want to help poor defenseless animals you go feed those mice to that scraggly cat that hangs around every day begging food from my kitchen."

Aria looked appalled. "Henry would never eat these mice. They are his friends and we don't eat friends."

Abbi looked at Aria, "You named the cat Henry?"

"Yes. Henry is a fine name for a cat. "

"I suppose you named the mice too."

"I did." Aria stuck her chin up in the air defiantly. Killian decided it was time to make his presence known.

"I know the perfect home for those mice Aria." He told her taking the cage form her.

"Where?" She asked suspiciously.

"Why the Jolly Roger of course, everyone knows that mice eat bugs and there sure are a lot of bugs on the Jolly."

Killian looked at Abbi and winked she shook her head and handed him a piece of day old bread. Then she shooed them both out of her kitchen.

Father and daughter walked to the large pirate ship that was docked nearby. Killian had asked Smee to see that the crew was sparse today.

Aria set the cage on the floor of the Jolly and opened the cage door Killian broke the slice of bread into crumbs and set them in the cage for the mice to enjoy.

"LeRoy, Archie, and Ruby enjoy your new home. You are now pirates." She giggled at her own joke.

"Aria I'd like to talk to you about something important."

"You want to marry Mama but you want my permission."

Killian stared at her in shock, she grinned.

"I'm almost eleven."

"Right, how could I ever forget?"

"She'll say yes."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Let's go ask her. Are you certain she'll say yes?"

"Bet me."

"What?"

"Bet me. If she says yes, you have to teach me to navigate your ship and how to read Greek."

"And if she takes some convincing… "

"You have to teach me to navigate your ship and how to read Greek."

"Hmm, seems like somethings missing. How about if I am right you get your Greek and navigating but you also find a new home for Archie, Leroy and Ruby."

"Fine," She agreed.

Together they sought out Emma and Killian walked up to her and kissed her. She was surprised and looked over at Aria standing next to him. Killian reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. He knelt down and looked at Aria who nodded. Emma gasped. He took her hand in his and she pulled it back.

"Killian Jones, do not ask me to marry you."

"That's exactly what I am doing."

"Why?"

"Duh, Emma, I love you, I want to live my life with you and Aria and many more children."

Aria screamed, and Killian and Emma both turned to see Regina holding the girl inches off the floor a spindle in one hand. "You didn't think I'd let you win did you?"

"You may be true love but now you will have to live with your precious baby because she has no true love and I … oops." Regina stuck Aria with the spindle and dropped her to the floor. Then she looked at the couple frozen in place. If only you had let me do this is the beginning. Now toot aloo, I must be off but I'll be back this is just a small token of what I have in mind for Snow White's family, another day, another spell." The Evil Queen vanished in a cloud of purple smoke.

Emma rushed to Aria's side and Killian shouted her name and rushed to her. Emma cradled the girl in her arms. She never realized just how small her daughter was, she knew she had failed.

"I failed her Killian." She whispered. "I failed our baby."

"You didn't fail her." Killian wrapped his arm around Emma who was still cradling Aria and rocking her lifeless body. "Gods, I love that child."

"Your love can save her." The Blue Fairy appeared out of nowhere. "She is your true love, both of your true love. One of you could save her but both of you can save her and protect her future. You must do this together as the true love of a family is stronger than any spell Regina has ever cast"

"Blue, what do you mean?" The doors opened and Snow and David walked through. A guard having informed them of everything that happened from outside the room and they had summoned The Blue fairy.

"Emma, Honey, True Love doesn't always come in the form of man and woman. The love a parent feels for her child is true love." Snow told her.

"But that didn't work for you or for Dad when I was sleeping."

"That's because it wasn't meant to be. You were meant to be with Killian, you had already met your true love. He was meant to wake you all along."

Emma looked up at Killian and he looked at her they knew it was there only hope gently they both laid their lips on Arias head and kissed her. A white wave of power rushed through the kingdom. She would feel this kiss as a protection for the rest of her life.

Aria's eyes popped open. And she looked at everyone gathered around her. 'What happened?"

"Regina put a sleeping spell on you. You're parents woke you."

Aria jumped out of Emma's arms to hug her mother and father. "I knew you would save me." She cried. "I wasn't scared because my mom and dad would save me like always."

"Plan to get into more scrapes like this in the future?" Killian asked.

"Maybe, The Evil Queen is still out there." Aria replied.

"Perhaps you should wait a few years till you go after her again.

"Maybe, maybe not," She grinned mischievously.

Killian stood and hugged Aria and she hugged him back. His arms tightened in fear of what he almost lost. And he vowed no one would ever take his family from him. His gaze caught on the ring on the floor; he released Arai and picked up the ring while Emma was distracted.

Aria hugged her mother tight enough to make an indentation and it still wasn't tight enough for Emma. This precious child had almost been ripped from her hands twice in a one precious lifetime and there would not be a third time. She was going to learn her magic and she was going to be the Savior once and for all and she would rid her family of the evil queen.

Killian approached Emma and held out the ring. "Will you marry me Emma?"

Emma looked at the ring then looked at Aria the girl looked at her and at Killian with absolute adoration in her eyes. Aria believed in her. It was her and Killian together who broke the spell. She believed in the girl. She believed in the man and most of all she believed in herself.

"Yes." Killian picked her up and swung her around in joy. Dropping her to her feet he crushed her lips with his in true love.

And they lived happily ever after. (For a while…..)


End file.
